Click to viewScience fiction is all about creating strange and incredible worlds, whether they're the future of Earth or a far-off planet. And the key to the most breathtaking science fictional worlds always starts with the work of production designers and concept artists who create brilliant and freaktastic worlds, like James Clyne's concept art for Transformers, above. Or Warren Manser's original art for Stanley Kubrick's version of A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, below the fold. Here's our roundup of the 10 designers whose work is exciting us the most right now — and whose forthcoming projects you should watch out for.

Everybody worships Syd (Blade Runner) Mead, or Ralph McQuarrie, who gave the original Star Wars trilogy much of its eyepopping vastness. But some of the designers and artists working today are doing work that's every bit as mindblowing and sensational. (We had a list of about 20 designers we wanted to feature in this post, and had to end up whittling it down. But maybe we'll feature some of the others soon.) A million, million thanks to Lauren Davis for the incredible research help.